Milling

Introduction: Milling is metal cutting operation in which the excess material from the
workpiece is removed by rotating multipoint cutting tool called milling cutter. A milling
machine is a machine tool that removes metal as the work is fed against a rotating multipoint
cutter. The machine can also hold one or more number of cutters at a time.

Figure 1: Milling operation

As the workpiece moves against the cutting edges of milling cutter, material is removed in
form of chips. Machined surface is formed in one or more passes of workpiece. For better
surface finish, accuracy and high production rate it is used more than the other machines.

Uses of Milling:

• Flat surface in vertical, horizontal and inclined planes

• Making slots of various sections

• Slitting or parting

• Often producing surfaces of revolution

• Cutting teeth in piece or batch production of spur gears, straight toothed bevel gears, worm
wheels, clutches etc.

• Producing some salient features like grooves, flutes, profiles in various cutting tools, e.g.,
drills, taps, reamers, gear shaping cutters etc.
Milling processes:

Peripheral Milling:

Figure 2: Peripheral Milling

• Cutter axis parallel to surface being machined

• Cutting edges on outside periphery of cutter

Depending upon the movement of tool and workpiece the milling processes are classified as

1. Up or Conventional Milling.

2. Down or Climb Milling.

Up Milling

Figure 3: Up Milling
 • In conventional or up milling, the cutter rotates against the direction of the feed.

• Chip thickness starts from zero and increases which causes more heat to diffuse into
the workpiece and produces work hardening.

• Tool rubs more at the beginning of the cut causing faster tool wear and decreases tool
life

• Chips are carried upward by the tooth and fall in front of cutter creating a marred
finish and re-cutting of chips

• Upwards forces created in horizontal milling tend to lift the workpiece, more intricate
and expensive work holdings are needed to lessen the lift created.

Down Milling

Figure 4: Down Milling

• In down milling the cutter rotates with the feed.

• Chip thickness starts from maximum and decreases so heat generated will more
likely transfer to the chip
• Creates cleaner shear plane which causes the tool to rub less and increases tool life
• Chips are removed behind the cutter which reduces the chance of re-cutting .
• Downward forces in horizontal milling is created that helps hold the workpiece
down, less complex work holdings are needed when coupled with these forces.
• Climb or down milling is generally the best way to machine parts today since it
reduces the load from the cutting edge, leaves a better surface finish, and improves
tool life.
Face Milling

Figure 5: Face Milling

• Cutter axis perpendicular to surface being milled.

• The peripheral cutting edges of the cutter do the actual cutting, whereas the face
cutting edges finish up the work surface by removing very small amount of material.

• In face milling operation both up and down milling may be considered to be

performed simultaneously on the work surface.

• When the cutter rotates half of the revolution, the direction of movement of the cutter
tooth is opposite to the direction of feed and the condition reverses when the cutter
rotates through other half of the revolution.

• The thickness of the chip is minimum at the beginning and at the end of the cut and it
is maximum when the work passes through the center line of the cutter.

Slab Milling

Figure 6: Slab Milling

Basic form of peripheral milling in which the cutter width extends beyond the workpiece on
both sides.

Slotting

Figure 7: Slotting

Width of cutter is less than workpiece width, creating a slot in the work.

End milling

Figure 8: End Milling

• The end milling may be considered as the combination of peripheral and face milling
operation.

• The cutter has teeth both on the end face and on the periphery.
Types of Milling machine

1. Column and knee type

a) Horizontal Milling machine

Figure 9: Horizontal Milling machine

Base – It is made of cast iron and supports all the other parts of the machine tool. A vertical
column is mounted upon the base. In some machines, the base serves as a reservoir for
cutting fluid.

Column – It is mounted upon the base and is box shaped. It houses the mechanism for
providing drive for the spindle. The front vertical face of the column is machined accurately
to form dovetail guideways for the knee to move up and down. The top of the column holds
an overhanging arm.

Knee – It slides up and down on the guideways of the column. An elevating screw
mounted on the base obtains this movement. Saddle is mounted upon the knee and moves in a
cross direction.

Saddle – It is mounted on the guideways of the knee and moves towards or away from the
face of the column. This movement can be obtained either by power or by hand. The top of
the saddle has guideways for the table movement.
Table – The table is moved longitudinally either by power or manually on the guideways
of the saddle. The top surface of the table has got ‘T’ – slots on which the workpieces or
other work holding devices are mounted.

Spindle – It is located in the upper part of the column. It receives power from the motor
through belt, gears and clutches. The front end of the spindle has got a taper hole into which
the cutters are held with different cutter holding devices.

Overhanging arm – It supports the arbor from the top of the column. The arbor is supported
by the bearing fitted within the arbor support. It is also useful while using some special
attachments.

Arbor

Figure 10: Arbor

• It supports the different types of cutters used in the machine.

• It is drawn into the taper hole of the spindle by a drawbolt.

• One or more cutters are mounted on the arbor by placing spacing collars between
them.

• The arbor is supported by an arbor support.

• The arbor is provided with a Morse taper or self-releasing taper.

b) Vertical Milling machine

Figure 11: Vertical Milling machine

• A vertical milling machine can be distinguished from a horizontal milling machine by

the position of the spindle which is vertical to the work table.

• The spindle head which is clamped to the vertical column may be swiveled at an
angle, permitting the milling cutter mounted on the spindle to work on angular
surfaces.

• The machine adopted for machining grooves, slots, and flat surfaces.

• The end mills and face milling cutters are the usual tools mounted on the spindle.

Difference between Horizontal and vertical milling machine

• A vertical milling machine can be distinguished from a horizontal milling machine by

the position of the spindle which is vertical to the work table.

• The spindle head which is clamped to the vertical column may be swiveled at an
angle, permitting the milling cutter mounted on the spindle to work on angular
surfaces.

• The machine adopted for machining grooves, slots, and flat surfaces.

• The end mills and face milling cutters are the usual tools mounted on the spindle.
c) Universal Milling machine

• A universal milling machine can be distinguished from plain milling machine is

mounted on a circular swiveling base which has degree graduations, and the tale can
be swiveled to any angle up to 45 degree on either side of the normal position.

• The table can be swiveled about an vertical axis and set an angle other than right
angles to the spindle.

• It is used in making helical grooves in twist drills, milling cutters and reamers.

d) Omniversal Milling machine

• In this machine , the besides having all the movements of universal milling machine ,
can be tilted in a vertical plane by providing a swiveling arrangement at the knee.

• Also the knee assembly is mounted in such a way that it may be fed in a longitudinal
direction horizontally.

e) Hand Milling machine

• The simplest of all milling machines.

• Feeding movement of the table is given by hand control.

• The cutter is mounted on a horizontal arbor and is rotated by power.

• The machine is particularly suitable for light and simple milling operations such as
machining slots, grooves and keyways.

f) Fixed bed type milling machine

• The fixed bed type milling machines are comparatively large, heavy and rigid and
differ from column and knee type machine by the construction of table mounting.

• The table movement is restricted to reciprocation at right angles to the spindle axis
with no provision for cross or vertical adjustment.

• The cutter mounted on the spindle head may be moved vertically on the column and
spindle may be adjust horizontally to provide cross adjustment.
Milling Machine Mechanism

Figure 12: Milling Machine power feed mechanism

A. Knee, B. saddle, C. Table, D. Clamp bed, E. Feed hand wheel, F. Bed, G. Column, H.
Feed gear box

1. Longitudinal Feed screw,2,3,5,19,22,24. Bevel gears, 4. Clutch operating lever, 6. Nut,

7. Cross feed screw, 8,20,21. Power feed clutch, 9. saddle nut, 10,12. Universal joint, 11.
Telescopic feed shaft, 13,14,18,[Link],15. Elevating screw,23. Feed shaft

• Milling machine mechanism is composed of spindle drive mechanism and the table
feed mechanism.

• Spindle drive mechanism is incorporated in the column.

• Power feed mechanism contained within the knee A of the machine to enable the table
C to have three different feed movements.

• Power is transmitted from the feed gear box H consisting of change gears to shaft 23
in the knee of the machine by a telescopic shaft 11.

• Both the ends of the shaft 11 are provided with universal joint10 and 12.

• Telescopic shaft and universal joints are necessary to allow vertical movement of the
knee A, gear 14, attached to the jaw clutch 20, is keyed to the shaft 23 and drives gear
13 which is free to rotate on the extreme end of the cross feed screw 7.
 • Bevel gear 22 is free to rotate on the shaft 23 and is in mesh with gear 19 fastened to
the elevating screw 15. 16 serves as a nut for 15, and as a screw in nut 17.

• 15 and 16, therefore serve as a telescopic screw comboination and a vertical

movement of the knee is thus possible.

• As sson as the clutch 20 is engaged with the clutch attached to the bevel gear 22 by
means of a lever 4, 22 rotates and this being in mesh with gear 19 causes the elevating
screw 15 to rattae in 16 giving the vertical movemnt of the knee.

• When the clutch 21, which is keyed to the cross feed screw 7, is engaged with the
clutch attached to gear 13, power comes to the screw 7 through gears 14 and 13. This
causes the screw 7 to raotate in nut 6 of the clamp bed giving a crossfeed movement
of the clamp bed D and saddle B.

• Gear 18 is fastened to shaft 23, and meshes with gear 25 which is fastened to the
bevel gear 24.

• Again 24meshes with gear 5 attached to a vertical shaft which carries at its upper end
another bevel gear 3.

• Gear 3 meshes with gear 2 which is fastened to the table feed screw 1. Therefore,
longitudinal feed movement of the table is possible through gears 18, 25, 24, 5, 3 and
2.

Elements of plain milling cutter

Figure 13: Elements of a plain milling cutter

Body of cutter: It is the main frame of milling cutter, on which the teeth rest.
Periphery: It is defined as the locus of cutting edges of tooth of cutter.
Cutting edge: It is the portion that touches the workpiece during cutting action. It is the
intersection of teeth face and tooth flank.
Fillet: portion where one teeth joins the face of another tooth. It is a reinforcement to cutting
tooth.
Face of teeth: it is the surface upon the chip is formed while cutting. It may be curved or flat.
Back of tooth: it is the created by fillet and the secondary clearance angle.
Land: it is the narrow surface on the back of cutting edge. Land is the result of providing the
clearance angle.

Outside diameter: diameter passing through centre of cutter and joining two ends of the
periphery.

Root diameter: passing through centre of cutter and joining two bottom fillet.

Lip angle: It is the angle between the face of the teeth and the land of the teeth. Land is a
narrow surface on the back of teeth.

Relief angle: it is the angle between the tangent to the outside diameter of the cutter at
cutting edge and the land of the tooth. The function relief angle is to avoid the interference
between the land of the tooth and the work surface. The relief angle varies with the type of
material to be machined.

Radial rake angle: it is the angle between the face of teeth and the radial line passing
through the cutting edge of the tooth. The radial rake angle may be positive, negative or zero.
It is provided free cutting by allowing chips to flow smoothly on the face of the cutter.

Zero rake angle: tooth face and radial line coincide.

Positive rake angle: tooth body and tooth face is the same side of the radial line.
Negative rake angle: tooth surface and radial angle are on opposite side of the radial line.

Axial rake angle: angle between the line of peripheral cutting edge and axis of the cutter. It
is an angle in a plane perpendicular to the radial plane.
Clearance angle: it is the angle between the back of the tooth and the tangent to the outside
diameter at the cutting edge of the tooth. It is divided into two according to the clearance
surface. (primary clearance angle and secondary clearance angle)

Cutting speed, Feed and Depth of Cut

Cutting speed: The speed of milling cutter is its peripheral linear speed resulting from
rotation. It is expressed in meters per minute. The cutting speed can be derived from the
formula:

where, v= the cutting speed in m per min

d= the diameter of the cutter in mm.

n= the cutter speed in r.p.m.

Feed: The feed in a milling machine is defined as the rate with which the workpiece
advances under the cutter.

Feed is expressed in three different methods:

1. Feed per tooth (Sz): The feed per tooth is the distance that the work advences in
time between engagement by the two successive teeth. It is expressed in millimeter
per tooth of the cutter.

2. Feed per cutter revolution (Srev): The feed per cutter revolution is the distance the
work advances in time when the cutter through one complete rotation . It is expressed
in millimeters per revolution of the cutter.

3. Feed per minute (Sm): It is the distance the work advances in one minute. It is
expressed in millimeters per minute.

These three feeds are related by the formula given below:

Sm = n × Srev = Sz × Z × n

Where, Z = number of teeth in the cutter

n = the cutter speed in r.p.m

Depth of cut: The depth of cut in milling machine is the thickness of the material removed in
one pass of the work under the cutter.

The number of cutter teeth is calculated from the equation:

Z = Sm/(Sz × n)

Calculation of Machining Time:

The time required to mill a surface for any operation can be calculated from the
formula:

𝐿
T=
𝑆𝑧×𝑍×𝑛

T = time required to complete the cut in minutes.

L = the length of the table travel to complete the cut in mm

Sz = the feed per tooth in mm.

Z = the number of teeth in the cutter.

N = the r.p.m. of the cutter.

Approach length: It is the distance though which the cutter must be moved before the full
depth of cut is reached.

For plain milling cutter

Where, A = the approach in mm

B = the depth of cut in mm

D = the diameter of the cutter in mm

 Figure 14: Approach length for plain milling cutter

For face milling cutter

Where, A = the approach in mm

B = the width of the work

D = the diameter of the cutter in mm

Figure 15: Approach length for face milling cutter

Indexing

Indexing is the process of evenly dividing the circumference of a circular work piece into
equally spaced divisions, such in cutting gear teeth.

Direct Indexing

Figure 16: Direct indexing

• Direct indexing is accomplished by an additional index plate fastened to the index

head spindle.

• The plate is moved by hand to index directly, the spindle and the work piece rotate an
equal distance.

• Direct index plates usually have 24 holes and offer a quick means of milling

squares, hexagons, taps, etc.

• Any number of divisions which is a factor of 24 can be indexed quickly and

conveniently by the direct indexing method.

Simple Indexing

Figure 17: Simple indexing

 • Work is positioned by means of crank, index plate, and sector arms

• Worm attached to crank must be engaged with worm wheel on dividing head spindle.

• There 40 no of teeth in the worm wheel.

• One complete turn on index crank causes the spindle and work to rotate one-fortieth
of a turn

• Calculating the indexing or number of turns of crank for most, simply divide 40 by
number of divisions or flats to be cut.

Turns of the crank = 40/ No of flats needed

Compound Indexing

In compound indexing, the required amount of rotation may be reached by the algebraic sum
of two successive rotations along two separate hole circles.

Details: Refer Text book

Differential Indexing

Figure 18: Differential indexing

The indexing method is called differential because the required division is obtained by a
combination of two movements:

1. The movement of the index crank similar to the simple indexing

 2. The simultaneous movement of the index plate, when the crank is turned.

• The rotation or differential motion of the index plate may take place in the same
direction as the crank or opposite to it as may be required.

• The result is that the actual movement of the crank at every indexing is automatically
increased or decreased giving the required index movement of the spindle.

Gear Ratio = [(A-N) x 40]/A

Where,

A = the selected number which can be indexed by plain indexing and the number is
approximately equal to N.

N = the required number of divisions to be indexed

3. In the gearing ratio so calculated, the numerators of the fraction indicate the driving gears
on the index head spindle and the denominators indicate the driven gears on the index plate.

4. Index crank movement = 40/A

5. If (A-N) is possitive the index plate must rotate in the same direction as the crank and if(A-
N) is negative the index plate must rotate in a direction opposite to that of the crank.

Angular Indexing

The angular indexing is the process of dividing the periphery of a work in angular
measurements and not by the number of divisions.

There are 360 degrees in a circle, and when the index crank is rotated by 40 number of
revolutuions, spindle rotates through one complete rotations or by 360 degrees.

One complete turn of the crank will cause the spindle and the work table rotate through
360/40=9 degrees.

Therefore, Index crank movement= Angular displacement of work /9

Spur gear Milling Operation

The cutting of spur gear is done after determining gear tooth proportions, selecting the type of
indexing to be performed, and finding the correct number of form cutter.
The speed should be slightly lower than the plain milling operation and the feed should be
normal.

The cutter is mounted on the arbor and it is then centered accurately with the diving head
spindle by adjusting the position of the table.

The gear blank is mounted between the two centers by a mandrel and is connected with the
diving head spindle.

The proper index plate is bolted on the dividing head the positions of the crank pin and the
sector arms are adjusted.

For a smaller size gear blank, the depth of cut is given equal to the full depth of the gear
tooth.

The table is raised to give the required depth of cut by turning the dial through the calculated
no of divisions.

The machine is started and the feed is applied to finish the first tooth space of the gear.

After that blank is positioned by indexing for the next cut and the operation is repeated.

Determination of gear blank and other particulars

a) Blank diameter = m(Z+2), where, m= module and Z= Number of gear teeth

b) Tooth depth = 2.25m

c) Cutter pitch = 3m

Helical gear Milling Operation

The helical gear milling operation is taken in hand after preparing the gear blank to the
required size and calculating the necessary tooth dimensions.

The spindle of the dividing head and tailstock are aligned so that they may be perpendicular
to the machine spindle.

The proper cutter is chosen and mounted on the arbor.

The required helix angle is calculated and the table is swiveled to the correct position.
Then proper index plate is mounted on the dividing head and the crank pin is pushed into the
hole of the required hole circle.

The cutter is set to give required depth of cut.

After the first cut the index pin is withdrawn from the index plate ,which causes the worm
shaft to be disengaged with the table feed gearing.

The operation is repeated.

Determination of gear blank and other particulars

a)Blank diameter = m(Z/cosᵦ+2), where m = module, Z = Number of gear teeth, ᵦ = Helix

angle

b) Tooth depth = 2.25m

c) Cutter pitch = 6m

Selection of table gear train

Lead of the machine 40×T1, where T1= Pitch of the lead screw of the machine

Lead of the helix is calculated from the formula

tan ᵦ = пD/l or l= пD/ tan ᵦ

ᵦ = Helix angle

l = lead of the helix

D = diameter of the work

The change gears are

Selection of helical milling cutter

The selection of is based on Zc

Selection of Cutter

A cutter that was made for a tooth size would make any gear with that size tooth. But,
unfortunately, for any given size of tooth, pressure angle etc. the shape of the tooth will vary
depending upon the number of teeth on the gear being made. This means that to be able to cut
a gear with any number of teeth but for a given size of tooth a set of eight cutters is required.
In order to cope with this it is necessary to have a cutter for each of a range of teeth numbers.